Day of departure for HUG:
I am staring out the window as the plane is descending. It looks like a foggy morning for Athens today, but I know we are still in the clouds. Then all of a sudden, I see trees, houses, grass and buildings. The day I have been waiting for has finally come. I have arrived in Greece. I can not wait to see the mountains and valleys that fill the land. As we walk off the plane, it still feels unreal that we are actually here. For now, I will wait until the feeling sinks in.
Arriving in Porto Rafti:
We have arrived at the Artemis. It is a small hotel that has been purchased for the Harding campus in Greece. It lies on a busy street in Porto Rafti with many small cars and motorcycles driving around quickly. There are many nice facilities here, including a gym, dining room, living room, lounge, front desk and a classroom. The town is a port to the Aegean Sea, hence the name Porto Rafti. Many shops and stores fill the streets, so walking is one of our main modes of transportation. Jet lag is not too bad, but it has definitely impacted each of us. For now, sleep calls my name, so I think I will go catch some shuteye.
Going into Athens:
Today we got to venture into Athens. We rode by bus around several major sites including the War Museum of Greece, Academy of Sciences and Arts, National Library, Royal Parliament and the change of guard for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. But the best site, of course, was the Parthenon. We got to walk up and around it for about half the day. Though we were somewhat exhausted near the end, it was definitely worth it.
Overall, I have enjoyed everything Porto Rafti and the Artemis have to offer. I’m very excited for what the rest of the semester has yet to unfold for me. As of now, school work is starting to become my main focus, but the great thing is that everything here is already part of my education.
Next issue: sophomore Carrie Wingfield from HUF
